We check in with people at each stage of the cash transfer process to see how things are going. Take a look at some of their stories as they appear here in real-time.
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2nd Payment
Transfer Amount
53150 KES ($526 USD)
access_time over 4 years ago
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How is your life different than it would have been if you never received the transfer?
The transfers enabled me to build a house for my children. Due to this, they no longer sleep at their neighbors house. Also, the money enabled me to get the required treatment and I thank God because I am now well and I can eat well unlike before. I had been advised to go for a surgery but I had not gone for it due to lack of money. I would not have been able to achieve all this had it not have been for GiveDirectly.
In your opinion, what does GiveDirectly do well, and what does it not do well?
GiveDirectly did a perfect job by giving us money that its impact can be felt and I do not see what they did not do well.
What did you spend your second transfer on?
I received my transfer at a time when the doctor had advised I undergo an operation for guitar treatment. I had not been able to get this treatment due to lack of money and my National Hospital Insurance Fund could not cater for the full cost. Due to this, I decided to use part of this money to pay for the operation. Also, I spent some amount to pay school fees for my son who was joining college. He had already received his admission letter and we were still looking for his school fees. I spent the remaining amount to buy food and some decent clothes for my family.
Initial Payment
Transfer Amount
55000 KES ($537 USD)
access_time almost 5 years ago
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Describe the biggest difference in your daily life.
After building a house for my children, I never expected that I would be able to cement it and make it more permanent. This is because of the overwhelming family needs that I have. Building it had only been because of God's grace since I majorly depend on subsistence farming which has not been doing well enough to cater for both household daily needs and any other goals in our family. So far, I can proudly say that being able to furnish a house for my children and make it permanent is the biggest difference in my daily life.
Describe the moment when you received your money. How did you feel?
I realized in the morning after waking up that GiveDirectly had made me KES 55000 richer than I was the previous day. I became so happy at that instant as I knew that I had made a step ahead in life and that my life would never remain the same again.
What did you spend your first transfer on?
I bought gravel, sand, cement and also paid a mason for the work of furnishing a house for my children using part of my first transfer. I settled on this so that their house will always be clean and dust-free. The cleaning process will be easier and less time-consuming. Also, I paid the tuition fees for my two sons in college and high school. I am now glad since the one in college is now doing well in school and the other was able to sit for his end-year examinations. I used the remaining amount to buy some basic needs for my family. I bought two sacks of maize flour and a few decent clothes.
Enrolled
access_time 5 years ago
What does receiving this money mean to you?
When my husband and I began constructing our sons' house a few days ago, we weren't sure to see it to completion based on the amount of money we had. Fortunately, cash transfer from GiveDirectly has come in at the right time. I am planning to spend the first transfer to see it to completion and in the floor repair of our own house. The second transfer will cater for our children's education in secondary school.
What is the happiest part of your day?
I am full time housewife whereas my husband is a small business owner. While I spend my day juggling between farm work and household chores, my husband runs a small microfinance in a nearby town every day. When he comes home in the evening we are assured of food in the table. My children are usually more exited to see him because he comes home with snacks and sometimes, candy. When they are exited, it makes me exited too thus making it the happiest part of my day.
What is the biggest hardship you've faced in your life?
Early this year, one of my children was joining college while two more were scheduled to join secondary school. For several days we had the dilemma of having the two repeat primary school so we could ease the fee burden. Upon further deliberation we resolved to sacrificially sell the dairy cows we had so as to accommodate all the three in school. Consequently, live without livestock as source of income is hard but we had to endure it till date. This is the biggest hardship I've faced in my life.
